Archery target and method of using same

ABSTRACT

An archery target includes a cylindrical body having a substantially circular top surface, a substantially circular base surface, and an intermediate section extending between the top surface and base surface. The target can be made by winding at least one layer of a flexible material, such as polyurethane foam, to form the cylindrical body. The target can be positioned such that the top surface faces upward and the base surface faces downward, and the user shoots arrows at the intermediate section. After a substantial number of arrows have been shot into the particular area of the intermediate section facing the user, the target can be rotated to expose a previously unused and unblemished area of the intermediate section of the target for further target practice. The target can be part of a kit that includes instructions for using the target accordingly.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 60/954,454, filed Aug. 7, 2007, which is incorporated herein byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an archery target and a method of using same.One embodiment of the invention enables the user to shoot a plurality ofarrows into one area of the target, and then rotate the target so that apreviously unused and unblemished area of the target faces the user. Theuser can then take aim at the unblemished area of the target to obtainfurther use of the target.

Foam archery targets are known in the art. Such targets are typicallyformed in a square or rectangular shape, with the front and rear sidessubstantially larger than the four minor sides. As such, it is generallycontemplated that archers shoot at the major front and rear sides of thetarget only. This results in limited life and use of the target.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide anarchery target, in which the user can shoot many different areas of thetarget to maximize the life and use of the target.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an archerytarget, in which the user shoots at a particular area of the target fora period of time, and then rotates the target to expose an unblemished,unused area for further target practice.

These and other objects of the present invention can be achieved in thevarious embodiments of the invention disclosed below. One embodiment ofthe invention is an archery target comprising a cylindrical bodycomprised of a flexible material. The cylindrical body includes a firstsubstantially circular surface, a second substantially circular surface,and an intermediate section extending between the first surface and thesecond surface for receiving an arrow.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the flexible materialcomprises an open-celled foam.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the flexible materialcomprises polyurethane foam.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the firstsubstantially circular surface is the top surface, and the secondsubstantially circular surface is the base surface.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the intermediatesection has a length of about eighteen to nineteen inches.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the target is made bywinding the layer of material onto a spool until a roll of materialhaving a desired diameter of the target is obtained.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the process for makingthe target includes cutting the roll of wound material to obtain adesired length for the intermediate section of the target.

Another embodiment of the invention includes an archery target kitcomprised of an archery target and instructions for using the target.The target can comprise a cylindrical body made of a flexible material,such as polyurethane foam, and includes a first substantially circularsurface, a second substantially circular surface, and an intermediatesection extending between the first surface and the second surface. Theinstructions instruct a user to shoot arrows at the intermediate sectionof the archery target.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the instructionsinstruct the user to position the target such that the firstsubstantially circular surface faces upward and the second substantiallycircular surface faces downward.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the instructionsinstruct the user to position the target such that the firstsubstantially circular surface is placed on a ground surface.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the instructionsinstruct the user to move the archery target to expose a previouslyunused area of the intermediate section of the target for further targetpractice after a substantial number of arrows have been shot into anarea of the intermediate section facing the user.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the instructionsinstruct the user to shoot arrows at a first area of the intermediatesection of the archery target facing the user.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the instructionsinstruct the user to rotate the archery target to expose a previouslyunused second area of the intermediate section of the target for furthertarget practice after a substantial number of arrows have been shot intothe first area of the intermediate section.

Another embodiment of the invention is a method of using an archerytarget that can include the steps of providing a cylindrical archerytarget having a first substantially circular surface, a secondsubstantially circular surface, and an intermediate section extendingbetween the first surface and the second surface, and shooting arrows atthe intermediate section of the archery target.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the archery target ismoved to expose a previously unused area of the intermediate section ofthe target for further target practice after a substantial number ofarrows have been shot into an area of the intermediate section facingthe user.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the target ispositioned such that the first substantially circular surface facesupward and the second substantially circular surface faces downward.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the archery target ispositioned such that a first area of the intermediate section of thearchery target faces the user, and arrows are shot at the first area ofthe intermediate section.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the archery target isrotated to expose a previously unused second area of the intermediatesection after a substantial number of arrows have been shot into thefirst area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Objects of the invention have been set forth above. Other objects andadvantages of the invention may appear as the description of theinvention proceeds when taken in conjunction with the followingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view an archery target according to a preferredembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the archery target of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the archery target of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is schematic view illustrating a method for using the archerytarget of FIG. 1, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is another schematic view illustrating a method for using thearchery target of FIG. 1, according to a preferred embodiment of theinvention; and

FIGS. 6-12 are schematic views illustrating a method for making thearchery target of FIG. 1, according to a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS AND BEST MODE

Referring now specifically to the drawings, an archery target accordingto a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1, andshown generally at reference numeral 10. The archery target 10 generallycomprises layers 12 of a flexible material wound into a cylindricalbody. The flexible material can be an open-celled polymeric foam, suchas polyurethane foam.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the target 10 is cylindrical, and has a circulartop surface 14, a circular base surface 16 and an intermediate section18 between the top surface 14 and the base surface 16. The base surface16 sits on the ground, as shown in FIG. 4, or alternatively the target10 can be held in a stand with the top surface 14 facing upward and thebase surface 16 facing downward. The intermediate section 18 is wideenough to function as the area of the target 10 at which the user shootsarrows.

In a preferred method of using the target, the user “U” aims and shootsarrows into the particular area of the intermediate section 18 that isfacing the user “U”, as shown in FIG. 4. After a substantial number ofarrows have been shot into the particular area of the intermediatesection 18 facing the user “U”, the user can then rotate the target 10to expose a previously unused and unblemished area of the intermediatesection 18 of the target 10, as shown in FIG. 5, for further targetpractice by the user “U”. Generally, this can be repeated as many asfour times or more. As such, the usable life of the target 10 ismaximized. In addition, by rolling layers 12 of foam in a cylindricalbody and by shooting the arrows at the intermediate section 18 of thecylindrical body, the tendency of the arrow to rip out material whenbeing removed from the target 10 is reduced.

The target 10 can be part of an archery target kit that includes thetarget 10, and instructions informing the user “U” on how to use thetarget 10 in accordance with the method described above. The term“instructions” as used throughout this application, refers generally toany and all forms of printed matter, including, but not limited to, oneor more sheets, leaflets, pamphlets, manuals, brochures, and/or bookletshaving text, graphics, photos, diagrams and/or drawings referring orrelating to the method of using the target 10 described above. Such“instructions” can be printed on a document contained inside of thepackaging of the target 10, on the packaging and/or on the target 10itself. In addition, the term “instructions” can include references toan Internet website address, company mailing address and/or other remotesource having text, graphics, photos, diagrams and/or drawings referringor relating to the method of using the target 10 described above. Forexample, in one embodiment of the invention, the packaging containingthe archery target 10 may have an Internet website address printedthereon along with directions to the user to visit the Internet websiteto access instructions on using the archery target 10.

Preferably, the target 10 has a diameter of about 21 inches, and isabout 18 to 19 inches tall, when standing upright as shown in FIG. 3. Apreferred method of making the target is illustrated in FIGS. 6-12. Asshown in FIGS. 6 and 7, layers 12 of polyurethane foam are wound onto aspool 32. Preferably, each layer 12 is approximately four inches thick,five feet wide and 100 feet long. The polyurethane layers 12 are woundonto the spool 32 until a desired diameter, such as about 21 inches, isobtained, forming a roll 20 having a length of about five feet. Shrinkplastic wrap 28 can be wrapped around the roll 20, as shown in FIGS. 9and 11.

As shown in FIG. 8, each end 24 of the rolled up layers 12 is cut off toform an even edge. As shown in FIGS. 9-12, the five foot long roll 20can be cut with a saw 34 into units of a desired length, such as about18-19 inches each.

While a particular embodiment of the archery target of the invention isdescribed above as being comprised of layers 12 polyurethane foamwrapped to form a cylindrical body, it should be noted that the targetdoes not have to be formed with layers and can be comprised of a solidpolyurethane foam, or other suitable material. In addition, although thesteps of using and making the archery target are described above in aparticular sequence, the invention is not limited to such sequence andthe steps for these methods can be carried out in varying order andremain within the scope of the invention.

An archery target and a method for using same are described above.Various details of the invention may be changed without departing fromits scope. For example, while a preferred embodiment of the archerytarget is described above as having a cylindrical shape, other shapescan be utilized. The foregoing description of the invention and the bestmode for practicing the invention are provided for the purpose ofillustration only and not for the purpose of limitation—the inventionbeing defined by the following claims and equivalents thereof.

1. An archery target comprising a cylindrical body comprised of aflexible material, the cylindrical body including a first substantiallycircular surface, a second substantially circular surface, and anintermediate section extending between the first surface and the secondsurface for receiving an arrow.
 2. An archery target according to claim1, wherein the flexible material comprises an open-celled foam.
 3. Anarchery target according to claim 1, wherein the flexible materialcomprises polyurethane foam.
 4. An archery target according to claim 1,wherein the first substantially circular surface comprises a topsurface, and the second substantially circular surface comprises a basesurface.
 5. An archery target according to claim 4, wherein theintermediate section has a length of about eighteen to nineteen inches.6. An archery target according to claim 1, wherein the target comprisesat least one layer of flexible material wound to form the cylindricalbody.
 7. An archery target according to claim 6, wherein the target isformed by winding the layer of flexible material onto a spool until aroll of material having a desired diameter of the target is obtained. 8.An archery target according to claim 7, further wherein the target isformed by cutting the roll of wound material to obtain a desired lengthfor the intermediate section of the target.
 9. An archery target kitcomprising: (a) an archery target comprising a cylindrical bodycomprised of a flexible material, the cylindrical body including a firstsubstantially circular surface, a second substantially circular surface,and an intermediate section extending between the first surface and thesecond surface; and (b) instructions that instruct a user to shootarrows at the intermediate section of the archery target.
 10. An archerytarget kit according to claim 9, wherein the target comprises at leastone layer of open-celled foam wound to form the cylindrical body.
 11. Anarchery target kit according to claim 9, wherein the instructionsfurther instruct the user to position the target whereby the firstsubstantially circular surface faces upward and the second substantiallycircular surface faces downward.
 12. An archery target kit according toclaim 9, wherein the instructions further instruct the user to positionthe target whereby the first substantially circular surface is placed ona ground surface.
 13. An archery target kit according to claim 9,wherein the instructions further instruct the user to move the archerytarget to expose a previously unused area of the intermediate section ofthe target for further target practice after a substantial number ofarrows have been shot into an area of the intermediate section facingthe user.
 14. An archery target kit according to claim 9, wherein theinstructions further instruct the user to shoot arrows at a first areaof the intermediate section of the archery target facing the user. 15.An archery target kit according to claim 14, wherein the instructionsfurther instruct the user to rotate the archery target to expose apreviously unused second area of the intermediate section of the targetfor further target practice after a substantial number of arrows havebeen shot into the first area of the intermediate section.
 16. A methodof using an archery target comprising the steps of: (a) providing acylindrical archery target comprising a first substantially circularsurface, a second substantially circular surface, and an intermediatesection extending between the first surface and the second surface; and(b) shooting arrows at the intermediate section of the archery target.17. A method of using an archery target according to claim 16, whereinthe archery target comprises at least one layer of polyurethane foamwound to form a cylindrical body.
 18. A method of using an archerytarget according to claim 16, further comprising the step of moving thearchery target to expose a previously unused area of the intermediatesection of the target for further target practice after a substantialnumber of arrows have been shot into an area of the intermediate sectionfacing the user.
 19. A method of using an archery target according toclaim 16, further comprising the step of positioning the target wherebythe first substantially circular surface faces upward and the secondsubstantially circular surface faces downward.
 20. A method of using anarchery target according to claim 16, further comprising the steps of:(a) positioning the archery target whereby a first area of theintermediate section of the archery target faces the user; (b) shootingarrows at the first area of the intermediate section; and (c) rotatingthe archery target to expose a previously unused second area of theintermediate section after a substantial number of arrows have been shotinto the first area.